State Farm releases 2013 claims from lightning strike damage just as another tornado touches down in southern Ontario.
The low intensity tornado,which according to Environment Canada was rated an EF-1 with maximum winds between 135 and 175 km/h, struck a rural area near Tottenham, Ont., on Tuesday afternoon.
That same afternoon, State Farm reported paying out $137 million in lightning strike claims, adding that lightning is the second leading cause of storm-related deaths in Canada and the United States, behind flooding.
As if to put an exclamation point on the problem posed by catastrophic weather events,
Economical Insurance CEO Karen Gavan gave a speech that same afternoon, calling on all levels of government “to be a backstop to the industry on absolutely catastrophic events.”
In 2013, State Farm paid out $800,000 for 110 lightning claims in Canada, with an average of $7,000 per claim.
Claims in Ontario reached $650,327, while New Brunswick saw claims of $95,009. Claims in Alberta reached $59, 679.
According to State Farm, “approximately 5,000 insurance claims are estimated to be filed in Canada for lightning related property damage (excluding fires) each year.”
Fires caused by lightning represent 45 per cent of all fires, with fire agencies responding to over 800 wildfires each year caused by lightning.
According to Environment Canada, there are between nine and 10 lightning-related deaths and up to 164 lightning-related injuries every year, with July being the most deadly month.
The majority of lightning victims are children and young men between the ages of 10 and 35 engaged in recreation or work.
